Grinder
Epsilon Army |role = Recycling |tier = 2 |techlvl = 9 |hp = 900 |armortype = Big Light Structure |sight = 5 |cost = $800 |time = 0:29 |produced = Epsilon Construction Yard |req = Pandora Hub |adjacent = 2 |power = -25 |ability = Recycles infantry and vehicles (by sending them into the Grinder) to return 50% of its cost |notes = Cannot be captured |sound = Modified from the Armor Facility (Red Alert 3) }} The Grinder is an Epsilon support structure capable of recycling a proselyte's units, infantry and vehicles alike, when he deems them no longer useful (in particular, mind-controlled units), converting them into resources to fund the proselyte's war effort. Official description Another one of Yuri's inhumane inventions is the Grinder. A structure capable of breaking down both mechanical and organic material in order to be recycled as raw resources to fill Epsilon's coffers. Many victims of mind control have met an untimely and grisly fate being fed to the Grinder when a commander deems them as no longer of use.Epsilon Structures page on the official Mental Omega website Overview For a detailed list of changes from the original game, click here. The Grinder becomes an essential structure in situations where the proselyte's economy is disrupted (e.g. all Ghost Miners are destroyed or unable to mine in farther ore fields due to wide use of detection by the enemy); otherwise, it functions as an economy supplement. Whether mind-controlled units or the proselyte's own, he may be forced to recycle the more important ones to acquire more credits to spend on economy restoration. Otherwise, it is situational to build if said proselyte wishes to use the former against the opposition instead and if their economy is stable for the time being. The subfaction that benefits most from the Grinder is PsiCorps due to having multiple choices of mind-controllers, whereas the rest only have the Epsilon Adept and the rarely seen Dybbuk-Seizer available to all Epsilon subfactions. It is also worth mentioning that unlike in the original Yuri's Revenge, the Grinder can no longer be abused to increase Epsilon economy significantly due to the removal of the Genetic Mutator (though the Geneburst from Epsilon HQ exists, it doesn't match the original's larger radius and guaranteed Brute transformation) and the Slave Miner. AI behavior The AI usually sends mind controlled units to the Grinder rather their their own units. On normal circumstances after a unit is mind controlled, this has a 5% chance of happening (for reference, the other AI decisions in the same circumstance are as follows: there is a 75% chance the unit is added to AI squads, 5% it is sent to a Bio Reactor, and 15% it will mindlessly attack the enemy, usually the former owner). This changes when the mind controlled unit in question is at red health (or 25% health). The probability increases from 5% to 40% (5% it is added to AI squads, 40% it is sent to a Bio Reactor, and 5% it will mindlessly attack the enemy). Appearances In some campaign missions (particularly where money is limited such as Hysteria and Earthrise), the Grinder usually serves as a bounty target. If an enemy Grinder is destroyed, several money crates will appear on the Grinder's position. Act Two * Grinder is introduced as a buildable structure in Memory Dealer. Trivia * The Grinder is based from the same structure in Yuri's Revenge, but the one in Mental Omega is built under the defenses tab (since 3.3) while the one in Yuri's Revenge is built under the structures tab. Also, the Mental Omega version does not grant access to the Epsilon MCV, as the Radar Spire was given that purpose. See also * Mobile Grinder References zh:粉碎机 Category:Defenses Category:Epsilon Army